Handle tube and cyclone vacuum cleaner equipped with the same

ABSTRACT

A handle tube and a vacuum cleaner equipped with the handle. The vacuum cleaner includes a brush capable of inhaling air that contains external dust, and a cleaner body for supplying suction force to the brush. The vacuum cleaner further includes a handle tube interposed between the brush and the cleaner body to interconnect the brush and the cleaner body to allow air to flow through the handle tube, wherein a predetermined part of the handle tube is formed as a handle to be gripped by a user. A cyclone cleaner is provided that is structured in such a manner that the flow passage of the handle tube is formed to take a handle shape and thus a separate handle is not needed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a handle tube and a vacuumcleaner equipped with the handle tube, and in particular, to a handletube installed with a cyclone dust collector and a vacuum cleanerequipped with the handle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A vacuum cleaner is an appliance for clearing away dust and soilon a surface to be cleaned, wherein air is forcibly circulated byrotating a motor, so that the interior of the cleaner body is turnedinto the vacuum state, and the dust and soil are inhaled into theappliance together with the suctioned air due to intense wind run causedby the pressure difference generated between the inner side and outerside of the body of the appliance, whereby the dust and soil are clearedaway.

[0003] Further, a cyclone dust collector is an apparatus for separatingparticles from a fluid with centrifugal force. Due to the advantage ofsimple construction and endurability against high temperature andpressure, such a cyclone dust collector has been widely used from longago in industrial field and is also employed in a vacuum cleaner.

[0004] A representative example of a cyclone provided with a cyclonedust collector is disclosed in Korean patent application No. 1999-20704entitled “Cyclone Dust Collector for Vacuum Cleaner,” which is pendingin the name of the assignee of the present application.

[0005]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a vacuum cleaner with acyclone dust collector disclosed in the above-mentioned patentapplication.

[0006] As can be seen from the drawing, the conventional vacuum cleaner1 equipped with a cyclone dust collector 21 comprises: a cleaner body 3,a flexible hose 9 connected to the cleaner body 3, an extension tube 8,a handle tube 7 connected between the flexible hose 9 and the extensiontube 8, and a cyclone dust collector 21 joined between the handle tube 7and the extension tube 8.

[0007] The cleaner body 3 is divided into a dust collection chamber (notshown), within which a dust bag (not shown) is received, and a loaddriven chamber (not shown), within which a suction motor (not shown) forinhaling air that contains external dusts into the dust collectionchamber is received.

[0008] The distal end of the extension tube 8 is joined with a brush 10and the brush 10 is constructed to contact a to-be-cleaned-surface as afloor covered with laminated paper, and a carpet in which the bottomside of the brush 10 is formed with an inflow opening.

[0009] The cyclone dust collector 21 is joined between the handle tube 7and the extension tube 8 and separates soil such as dust contained inair with centrifugal force.

[0010] The handle tube 7 is provided with a handle 9 in a side thereofso that a user can easily grip the handle tube 7.

[0011] With the above-mentioned construction, when the source ofelectric power is applied, air that contains soil such as dust isinhaled through the inflow opening of the brush 10 due to the suctionforce produced by driving the suction motor. Air flows along theextension tube 8 and into the cyclone dust collector 21. Soil with alarge grain size or paper scraps are separated from air by centrifugalforce, while air flowing into the cyclone dust collector 21 is formingswirling air streams and moving toward the closed end of the cyclonedust collector. The separated soil and the like, descends along theinternal wall of a soil collection receptacle 25 and are collected inthe lower part of the receptacle.

[0012] The purified air moves along the handle tube 7 and the flexiblehose 9 connected between the handle tube 7 and the cleaner body 3 andthen flows into the cleaner body.

[0013] The processes for entraining and collecting dusts performed inthe dust collection chamber (not shown) of the cleaner body are the samewith those performed in the conventional air cleaner 1.

[0014] However, in such a conventional vacuum cleaner, it is required toseparately provide a handle to the handle tube, and in particular, whena cyclone dust collector is provided, the load of the handle tube isunevenly concentrated toward the cyclone dust collector. Therefore, itis difficult to smoothly move the vacuum cleaner, including the handletube.

[0015] In addition, in such a conventional cleaner, the suction drivingforce of the cleaner body follows a long transfer route including thebrush, the extension tube connected to the brush, the cyclone dustcollector, the handle tube connected to the cyclone dust collector, andthe flexible hose connected between the handle and the cleaner body,whereby the driving force partially vanishes. Therefore, there is aproblem in that the dust collection capability of the cyclone dustcollector is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Accordingly, the present invention solves the above-mentionedproblems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the presentinvention is to provide a handle tube for a vacuum cleaner, which issimple in construction and easy for a user to grip when cleaning isperformed, and, to provide a vacuum cleaner equipped with the handletube.

[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide alight-weighted handle tube for a vacuum cleaner, which is provided witha handle-shaped air flow passage, whereby, a separate handle is notneeded, and to provide a vacuum cleaner equipped with the handle tube.

[0018] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide ahandle tube for a vacuum cleaner provided with a handle-shaped air flowpassage which is in turn provided with a cyclone dust collector, and toprovide a vacuum cleaner equipped with the handle tube.

[0019] In order to achieve the above objects, according to the presentinvention, there is provided a vacuum cleaner including a brush capableof inhaling air that contains external dusts, and a cleaner body forsupplying suction force to the brush, wherein the vacuum cleaner furthercomprises a handle tube interposed between the brush and the cleanerbody to interconnect the brush and the cleaner body so that air iscapable of flowing through the handle tube, wherein, a predeterminedpart of the handle tube is formed as a handle to be gripped by a user.

[0020] In addition, it is advantageous that the handle is double-bentbetween a distal end to be connected to the brush and a proximal end tobe connected to the air cleaner, wherein, a knurled part is preferablyformed on the external surface of the handle.

[0021] The vacuum cleaner may further comprise a cyclone dust collectorinstalled in the handle tube.

[0022] In addition, the cyclone dust collector preferably comprises: acyclone body that renders air flowing within the handle tube to swirl,centrifugally separate and discharge dusts; and, a soil collectionreceptacle for collecting centrifugally separated dusts, the receptaclebeing removably joined to the cyclone body.

[0023] It is preferable that the cyclone body comprises: a suction port,through which air that contains dusts and flows into the handle tube, iscaused to swirl; a discharge port for discharging dusts-separated air;and, a grill joined to the discharge port for removing soils.

[0024] In addition, in order to achieve the above objects, according tothe present invention, there is provided a handle tube for a vacuumcleaner, interposed between a brush capable of inhaling air thatcontains external dusts and a cleaner body for supplying suction forceto the brush, wherein an air flow passage for interconnecting the brushand the cleaner body is formed as a handle capable of being gripped by auser.

[0025] It is preferable that the handle tube for a vacuum cleanerfurther comprises a cyclone dust collector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The above and other objects, features and advantages of thepresent invention will be more apparent from the following detaileddescription taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional vacuum cleanerprovided with a cyclone dust collector according to the prior art;

[0028]FIG. 2 is a side view of a handle tube for a vacuum cleaneraccording to the present invention, wherein the handle tube is equippedwith a cyclone dust collector; and

[0029]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the handle tube shown in FIG.2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] As described below, the preferred embodiments will be describedin more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In thefollowing description of the embodiment of the present invention, likereference numerals will be provided for the elements having sameconstructions and functions as the conventional image-forming device asdescribed above.

[0031]FIG. 2 is a side view of a handle tube for a vacuum cleaner,wherein the handle tube is equipped with a cyclone dust collector. Inparticular, the handle tube shown in FIG. 2 has a construction improvedin such a manner that a flow passage of the handle tube is shaped totake a form of handle, whereby a separate handle is not needed and thehandle tube is light-weighted.

[0032] The cleaner equipped with the handle tube that includes thecyclone dust collector comprises: a brush 10; a cleaner body 3; aflexible hose 9 interconnecting the brush 10 and the cleaner body 3; thehandle tube 7 installed between flexible hose 9 and the brush 10; and,an extension tube 8 having a distal end connected to the brush 10 and aproximal end connected to the handle tube 7. Because the cleaner body 3,the flexible hose 9, the extension tube 8, and the brush 10 are similarto those indicated in FIG. 1, they are not shown in FIG. 2.

[0033] The cleaner body 3 is divided into a dust collection chamber (notshown) provided within the cleaner body 3 and receiving a dust bag (notshown), and a load driven chamber (not shown) housing a suction motor(not shown) for inhaling air that contains external dusts into the dustcollection chamber.

[0034] The distal end of the extension tube 8 is joined with the brush10 and the brush 10 contacts with a to-be-cleaned-surface such as afloor covered with laminated paper or a carpet, in which the bottom sideof the brush 10 is formed with an inflow opening.

[0035] A predetermined part of the handle tube 7 is formed with a handle60 to be gripped by a user, so that the user can easily grip the handletube 7.

[0036] The handle tube equipped with the cyclone dust collector isdescribed with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional viewshowing the mounting construction of the cyclone dust collector. In thedrawing, reference symbol I indicates the front side of the handle tube.

[0037] The handle tube 7 comprises a cyclone dust collector 21 mountedon the handle tube 7, and a handle tube body 30.

[0038] The handle tube body 30 comprises a first flow conduit 39 and asecond flow conduit 41, wherein the first and second flow conduits 39,41 are located in an upper part and a lower part in reference to a blockwall 53 in the handle tube body 30.

[0039] The first flow conduit 39 is provided with an air inlet 35communicating with the brush 10 in the front of the handle tube 7, and asuction port 37 connected to a side of the cyclone dust collector 21 inthe rear of the handle tube 7.

[0040] The second flow conduit 41 is provided with an air outlet 47communicating with the flexible hose in the rear of the handle tube 7,the air outlet 9, and a discharge port 43 connected to the cyclone dustcollector 21 in the front of the handle tube 7.

[0041] The second flow conduit 41 is formed in a double-bentconstruction so that a handle space 65 is formed entirely under thehandle tube 7 to allow a user to easily grip the handle tube 7.

[0042] Furthermore, the second flow conduit 41 is backwardly spaced froma soil collection receptacle 25 so that the soil collection receptacle25 can be removably attached to the cyclone body 55. The distance ‘d’between the rear end of the soil collection receptacle 25 and the secondflow conduit 41 is determined so that the soil collection receptacle 25is easily attached to or detached from the handle tube 7.

[0043] A knurling may be formed on the outer surface of the handle 60 sothat the user can securely hold the handle tube 7 without having thehandle tube 7 slip. Alternatively, a series of folds or ridges may bepartially formed on the outer surface of the handle 60 in variousshapes.

[0044] The cyclone dust collector 21 includes a cyclone body 55 as wellas the soil collection receptacle 25 removably attached to the cyclonebody 55.

[0045] The cyclone body 55 comprises a suction port 37 for inhaling theair, through which air that contains dusts and flows into the handletube 7, is caused to swirl; a discharge port 43 for discharging airafter the dusts are centrifugally separated; and, a soil separationgrill attached to the discharge port 43 and formed with a plurality offine passage holes 44.

[0046] It is preferable that the cyclone body 55 takes a cylindricalshape corresponding to the shape of the soil collection receptacle 25.

[0047] The soil separation grill 70 has a cylindrical shape with theplural fine passage holes 44 formed in the circumference, and an opening45 formed in an end of the grill. The opening 45 serves to discharge airflowing into the soil separation grill 70 through the fine passage holes44.

[0048] In addition, an anti-backflow member 50 is extended from the soilseparation grill 70 toward the bottom of the soil collection receptacle25.

[0049] When a source of electric power is applied to the handle tubewith the above-mentioned construction, air that contains soils such asdusts are inhaled through the air inlet formed in the brush 10 bysuction force generated by the driven suction motor. Thereafter, airflows into the inside of the cyclone dust collector 21 via the extensiontube 8 connected with the brush 10.

[0050] Air flowing into the inside of the cyclone dust collector 21flows into the inside of the cyclone dust collector 21 in the obliquedirection through the suction port 37 formed in the cyclone body 55.Thereby, air that contains soils such as dust, forms whirling airstreams and starts to move toward the closed end of the cyclone dustcollector 21.

[0051] During this process, the soils of large grain sizes or paperscraps contained in air are separated from air by centrifugal force. Theseparated soils descend along the inner wall of the soil collectionreceptacle 25 of the cyclone dust collector 21 and are collected in thelower part of the cyclone receptacle 25. The processes for entrainingand collecting dusts performed in the duct collection chamber (notshown) in the cleaner body 3 are similar to those performed in theconventional vacuum cleaner 1.

[0052] In the embodiments described above, description is made inconnection with a handle tube provided with a cyclone dust collector anda vacuum cleaner equipped with the handle tube. However, there is nodoubt that the present invention can be variantly embodied as a handletube only having a handle without a cyclone dust collector and a vacuumequipped with such a handle tube.

[0053] According to the present invention as described above, it is notneeded to provide a separate handle to the handle tube, and thus it ispossible to use a simple and light-weighted handle tube. Therefore, thevacuum cleaner can be conveniently used.

[0054] Furthermore, the route for transferring the suction driving forcefrom the suction motor in the cleaner body can be reduced. Therefore,the dust collection capability of the vacuum cleaner can be enhanced.

[0055] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention has beenshown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof,the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. It will beunderstood that various modifications and changes can be made by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined by the appended claims. It shall be considered thatsuch modifications, changes and equivalents thereof are all includedwithin the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vacuum cleaner including a brush capable ofinhaling air that contains external dusts, and a cleaner body forsupplying suction force to the brush, wherein the vacuum cleaner furthercomprises a handle tube interposed between the brush and the cleanerbody, to interconnect the brush and the cleaner body so that air iscapable of flowing through the handle tube, wherein a predetermined partof the handle tube is formed as a handle to be gripped by a user.
 2. Thevacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the handle is double-bentbetween a distal end to be connected with the brush, and a proximal endto be connected with the air cleaner.
 3. The vacuum cleaner according toclaim 1, wherein a knurled part is formed in the external surface of thehandle.
 4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein a knurledpart is formed in the external surface of the handle.
 5. The vacuumcleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a cyclone dustcollector installed on the handle tube.
 6. The vacuum cleaner accordingto claim 5, wherein the cyclone dust collector comprises: a cyclone bodythat renders air flowing within the handle tube to swirl, centrifugallyseparates, and discharges dust; and a soil collection receptacle forcollecting centrifugally separated dusts, the receptacle being removablyattached to the cyclone body.
 7. The vacuum cleaner according to claim6, wherein the cyclone body comprises: a suction port through which airthat contains dust and flows into the handle tube, is caused to swirl; adischarge port for discharging dust-separated air; and a grill joined tothe discharge port for removing soils.
 8. A handle tube for a vacuumcleaner, interposed between a brush capable of inhaling air thatcontains external dust and a cleaner body for supplying suction force tothe brush, wherein an air flow passage for interconnecting the brush andthe cleaner body is formed as a handle capable of being gripped by auser.
 9. The handle tube according to claim 8, further comprising acyclone dust collector.